There were a whole lot of highlights this season for the Parkland boys soccer team en route to a 24-2 record.

Atop the list, according to coach Patrick Birns and several seniors, were the four wins in four games against archrival Emmaus, including triumphs in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District 11 Class 4A championship games.

The Trojans also are quite proud of their performances in the two losses they suffered – both coming to nationally ranked opponents.

“We knew we had something very special coming into the season,” said senior Josh Kiser, the team’s leader in goals this season. “It was great, especially for us seniors, to get redemption against the team that had beaten us in the district final the two previous years. There were a lot of highlights but that stands out to me.”

Parkland went 22-0 vs. teams from District 11 this season. Birns’ squad edged out Northwestern, which won Colonial League and District 11 3A titles and reached the PIAA 3A state final, as The Morning Call’s team of the year.

Their wins show that the Trojans dominated this area. The losses show that they were one of the top teams in all of Pennsylvania – perhaps the second-best – and even beyond the Keystone State.

Parkland led national prep school power South Kent (Conn.) 1-0 before falling 2-1. And the Trojans’ season ended in the PIAA quarterfinals with a 1-0 defeat to eventual 4A state champion Conestoga.

“The season absolutely flew by,” Birns said. “One thing that sticks out in my mind is what Conestoga’s coach said about our boys after we lost in states. To walk away from the season with a 1-0 loss to the two-time state champ and have the opportunity to tie in the final seconds, that’s pretty neat.”

After edging Parkland, Conestoga coach David Zimmerman was extremely complimentary of the Trojans.

“They’re without a doubt the best team we’ve played this season,” he said. “Very solid all around the field. This is one we were definitely nervous about. My feeling is they were the second-best team in this tournament. We felt this was the biggest game we’re going to play. We’ll see.”

Parkland featured 14 seniors this year, with most of those 14 offering great contributions to the team at different positions and in different ways.

Dawson Berger, Bryce Evans, Giovanni Recchia and Morning Call player of the year Jake Varrato were the captains.

Kiser and Berger carried much of the offensive load. Evans, a midfielder “who totally controlled the pace and play without scoring” according to Birns, and Varrato, the stalwart goalie, both were named to the PSAC all-state team. Defensively, this year’s squad set the school record for fewest goals allowed in a season at 10.